


Stolen Moments

by Syven



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-11-18 16:38:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11294565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Syven/pseuds/Syven
Summary: Originally written on 12/11/2007. Set during DH.





	1. Chapter 1

She limped through the portrait hole, steadying herself against the curved, damp stone arch, thankful for the shadows there as she collected her thoughts. One minute she'd been on her way back to the dorm from the library and the next, she'd stumbled headlong to the ground, hearing the awful wheezing cackle of Amycus Carrow behind her. Shivering with the after-effects of the gleefully cast _'Crucio'_ , Ginny didn't hear the portrait open behind her and was bumped forward into the firelit Common Room.

"Ginny!" Neville stumbled forward, grabbing her by the arms, his eyes darting quickly over her features as if searching for something. "Where've you been?"

"Lib… library," she stammered, a jolting shiver interrupted her and he pulled her over to the sofa, guiding her to sit sideways and he tucked himself in behind her. Ginny was about to protest when his hands began soothing her shoulders, gently massaging the shivers away.

"You shouldn't go out alone," he stuttered, hands gripping her shoulders more tightly for a second. "It was about the sword, wasn't it?"

Spinning to face him, Ginny pleaded as he clasped his hands in his lap. "It's important, Neville. You said it yourself! I thought if we knew more about it, we could figure out how to use it. 'cause if we don't, who will? It's just… it's just…" her eyes welled up, exhaustion and stress finally collapsing in on her. She sobbed brokenly. "It's just so…" _hiccup_ "lonely."

"You're Harry's girl," Neville said softly, his eyes full of sympathy and resignation.

Wiping the tears off her cheek, Ginny retorted bitterly. "I'm nobody's anything, Neville."

The kiss, chaste and dry, came so fast she barely had time to register the soft play of his lips pressing with surety against hers, his warm breath teasing the part of her surprised lips when he pulled back after a second, his eyes fierce as he whispered hoarsely. "That's not true."

Ginny watched, speechless, as he swung off the couch and raced up the stairs of the boy's dorm, her fingertips pressing against the tingle of her lips.


	2. Stolen Moments #2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally written on 12/12/2007. Set during DH.

“Look here, it says right here that the Sword of Gryffindor has been in the Headmaster’s office of Hogwarts since Godric Gryffindor hung it there himself,” Ginny pointed to the passage in the large book, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear absently.

Neville leaned forward, planting one hand on the desk just beside the spot where her arm rested, his gaze flickering from the book to her ear as she curled the scarlet lock behind it and back again. “We’ll need the password.”

“Wormwood. I overheard Professor McGonagall this morning, quite by accident. She didn’t see me,” she said quietly, suddenly aware of her friend’s proximity in a way that made her shift in the seat. Her eyes focused in the short distance to his neck, the collar of his school shirt loosened while they were in the Room of Requirement and a small frown flickered on her forehead as her gaze took in an angry red welt just below the collar. Ginny reached up without thinking and her fingers had nearly touched his skin when he caught her wrist lightly, meeting her eyes with a stare that softened after a heartbeat. _’Harry’s girl’_

She felt her breath slow as if time were grinding to a halt, the warmth of his hand spreading across her wrist, growing uncomfortably warm and then, just as quickly, it was gone. Standing abruptly, he took a step back, giving his shirt edge a tug and cleared his throat, saying. “I’ll go. It’s nearly time for the daily teacher’s meeting.”

“I’m going, too,” Ginny stated firmly, rising as she shut the book, a tight twitch in her jaw as she prepared to argue.

“Okay.”

Her head turned as she glanced up, her mouth open with a protest on her lips as her brain recognized what he’d said and she blinked, her lips pressing together again before she gave a curt nod of her head. “Right then.” Ginny moved to stand beside him, in front of the door, reaching out to turn the doorknob. Looking up, her eyes said _’I'm not.’_


	3. Stolen Moments #3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally written on 12/13/2007. Set during DH.

He stumbled, holding out a hand to the stone wall to steady himself but he made no move to remove the arm he slung over her shoulder and uttered not a single protest when she tugged his hand as she shifted closer, wedging under his arm and taking his weight again. Blowing the hair from her eyes, Ginny glanced up to see that they’d made it to the bottom of the Gryffindor tower staircase. “Almost there, Nev.”

She felt the shake of his head in acknowledgement and Ginny grabbed hold of the stair rail, pulling them both up one step at a time. Nearing the top, the portrait opened and Lavender stepping out, gasping in surprise and rushed over to lend a hand. They set him down on the couch in front of the fireplace and Lavender asked what had happened. 

Loosening Neville’s tie, Ginny answered. “The Centaurs weren’t too happy to see us out in the Forest. They think that we’re ‘letting’ the Death Eaters run amuck. Letting!”

“They didn’t attack you!” Lavender exclaimed, handing Ginny a small potion vial that she’d summoned from her room. “It’s for pain.”

“There was a scuffle, Hagrid tried to reason with them but you can imagine how that went. One of ‘em lunged forward toward me and Neville stepped in front of me, daft fool. The bloody thing knocked him in square in the chest. Neville,” Ginny prompted, brushing the hair back from his forehead just as his head lolled back toward her, his eyes opening but unfocused. 

“Oh Gin,” he slurred, smiling as he reached out and slipped his hand into her hair, thumb tracing along her cheek and sighed wistfully. The soulful sound shot through her, pushing away everything but the longing look in his eyes and the feel of his hand on her skin. Then she blinked, tipping the vial against his lips, her voice softly husky. “Nev, drink this, it’ll make you feel better.”

His hand dropped away and he grimaced after swallowing the potion but when he opened his eyes, they were clear and guarded once more.


	4. Stolen Moments #4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally written 12/13/2007. Set during DH.

The train steamed loudly on the Hogsmeade platform, impatient as its nature, wanting as it was to be in motion. A lesser quantity of students then ever seen at the Hogsmeade mingled in nervous bunches, casting furtive glances at the Carrow professors stalking up and down the platform. 

Squeezing through the crowds, Ginny saw Neville head and shoulders above the rest, standing beside Car #18 and she changed directions in the herd of children to shorten the distance, coming up beside him quietly but not so much as to avoid his notice. He looked down at her with grim determination and nodded, reaching out to open the carriage door and levitated both their trunks up the steps behind her. 

“Luna said she’d catch up to us but I saw her with a pair of Ravenclaws so it might be awhile,” she said as he closed the compartment door behind them, sinking into the cushioned bench beside the window. 

Neville slid onto the seat beside her as their trunks levitated up to the shelves above, one hand loosening his tie reflectively, the other resting on the bench between them. “I still can’t believe they’re just letting us leave.”

“I don’t know what my folks will do. They’ve been holding me over their heads to keep my Dad in line,” Ginny said, looking out the window as the train began to move, watching the town drop away. Her hand clenched where it rested on her thigh and he reached over, taking her hand, gently slipping his fingers between hers. She glanced up, the question that she could never ask shimmered in her eyes as they met his gaze before shifting away but she didn’t release his hand.

It was very late when Luna slipped silently into the compartment, smiling wistfully at the other two occupants who were fast asleep, Ginny’s head resting on his shoulder, Neville’s cheek pressing to the top of her head. Closing the blinds with a flick of her wand, Luna curled up on the opposite bench and, cradling her head, began a watchful vigil over her friends.


	5. Stolen Moments #5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally written on 12/15/2007. Set during DH.

The arguments she’d put forward hadn’t changed her parent’s minds one bit, no matter how she’d presented her appeal, they weren’t going to let Ginny return Hogwarts and the longer the debate persisted, the clearer it was to her that they were going to put her in hiding. Just where she suspected that her parents didn’t know which is why she was currently sitting on her bed, looking out the window as she wrote.

_Dear Neville,_

_I hope your holiday is going better than mine. You know that thing we talked about on the train? It’s come to pass. You can’t imagine how much I wish it didn’t. It’s so dreadfully unfair._

_There’s no one here I can really talk to, Neville. Promise me you won’t forget to send for me. I miss you dreadfully. Write soon or I’ll die of boredom!_

_Yours truly,  
Ginny_

Pigwidgeon nipped her fingertips as she tucked the parchment into his leg holder and she hissed more than one curse under her breath before getting the bird to take flight.

A week later, in an Order ‘safe’ house, Ginny sat at the kitchen table, hands clasped in her lap as her parents gently pointed out how right they were to keep her from returning to Hogwarts. Only minutes before, the news of Luna Lovegood’s kidnapping off the Hogwarts Express had arrived via Kingsley Shacklebolt’s patronus. She fought back the desire to ask if Neville was all right, fearful of the answer. 

A hundred or so miles away, Neville unfolded a wrinkled parchment, smoothing it out over his knee. _’I miss you dreadfully.’_ The candles in the Room of Requirement flickered as he rose from the edge of the bed and crossed to the fireplace. On the mantle, he picked up a framed photograph, watching with a sad smile as the three subjects, arms slung around waists and shoulders as they crowded together to smile up at the photographer. His fingertips hovered above the girl in the middle, her scarlet hair mixing with her blonde friends beside her as he murmured softly. “I miss you, too.”


	6. Stolen Moments #6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally written on 12/16/2007. Set during DH.

Professor McGonagall screamed in disbelief and the crowd around the doorway surged forward, out into the courtyard and she was swept along with them. Spotting Neville ahead, Ginny pushed through the crowd to his side, warmed by the hand he put out to squeeze her shoulder in comfort. His expression was one of grim acceptance and purpose, for what she wasn’t sure but she called out with Ron and Hermione when Hagrid’s form moved to set something down on the grass. Voldemort’s gloating rang dully in her ears and, suddenly, Neville released his hold.

“Neville!” Ginny exclaimed, fear renting in her voice, as she tried to push ahead but Ron caught her arm with a hard shake, holding her back and showing no signs of letting go when she clawed at his hand. 

Voldemort’s voice hissed softly into the night. “And who is this?”

She renewed her struggles desperately, brown eyes wide with fear and determination as she met her brother’s hard gaze, hearing the events unfolding on the grass just beyond the bright lights of Hogwarts. Neville’s brave resistance to Voldemort carried across the distance and she went still, twisting to see, her heart in her throat as Voldemort pulled the Sorting Hat over Neville’s head and then abject horror when the Hat was engulfed in flames.

The crowd surged forward as a whole and Ron’s hold was broken. Ginny stumbled, pushing until she found herself on the edge of the crowd in time to see Neville raising something up and she recognized the glinting rubies in the hilt as the blade fell, slicing off the giant snake’s head. 

The invisible wall that had held the crowd back dissolved and Ginny raced forward down the grass hill, skidding in the mud but staying upright as she flung herself into Neville’s arms, hugging him tightly. “Are you _mental_!?” she sobbed against his tattered, smoked-smelling robes.

After a long moment, Ginny drew back and Neville asked softly. “All right, then?”

“Yeah. Come on!” she nodded, taking a steadying breath before following him up the hill toward the skirmishes in the courtyard.


	7. Stolen Moments #7 (Last Chapter)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally written on 12/17/2007. Set during DH.

The Great Hall buzzed with overflowing humanity but Ginny weaved mindlessly through the crowds out into the devastated corridor beyond. Though she was happy to see Harry alive, the surge of emotion had been unexpectedly dimmer than she remembered. He left her alone in her grief and Ginny supposed that Harry had always been good at that - walking away. Like a boat in water, he sliced through the waves disregarding anyone but himself. When she was younger, his rebellion had been exciting but now it was just tiresome.

Daylight streamed in from the broken windows as she picked her way along up to the Gryffindor tower. One of the elves had lit the fireplace and the glow of the flames flickered and illuminated the damage to the once-comforting space. She passed through it without pause, taking the dorm stairs two at a time. 

A glint of metal in the curtain-darkened room made her step falter as she approached her canopied bed, finding Neville sitting on the edge, the Sword of Gryffindor between his knees. He stood as she neared and hesitated before holding out his arms, letting the sword fall as she stumbled forward and pressed her cheek to his chest, his arms wrapping around her tightly. "I'm sorry about Fred."

"t's not fair," she mumbled into his robe and then her breath hitched, sobs wrenching from her body in great, agonizing bursts. She dimly registered the comforting stroke of his hand along her hair but he simply held her until, finally, her hands unclenched from where they'd gripped tightly into his robe.

Neville reached into his pocket, drawing out a handkerchief for her. "I thought you'd be with Harry."

"You're always here," Ginny used it, dabbing her puffy red eyes and swollen lips as she thought, _'for me'_.

He nodded, his brown eyes soft and nonjudgmental. "Yeah."

She leaned up on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against his, but he didn't react and, after a moment, Ginny began to withdraw and then he did, sliding his hands into her hair and catching her lips in a fierce kiss.


End file.
